So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them ten days.

For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

that they would seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his companions should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and said this to him: "Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show to the king the interpretation."

Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said this to him, "I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation."

But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.

You, O king, saw, and behold, a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was extraordinary, stood before you; and its appearance was awesome.

As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of brass,

This is the dream; and we will tell its interpretation before the king.

The king answered Daniel and said, "Surely your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing you have been able to reveal this secret."

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, "Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language, which speak anything evil against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be reduced to rubble; because there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way."

He cried aloud, and said this, "Cut down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit. Let the animals get away from under it, and the fowls from its branches.

This dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and you, Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation. But you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you."

This is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which is come on my lord the king:

All this came on the king Nebuchadnezzar.

The king spoke and said, "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?"

The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, "Whoever shall read this writing, and show me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom."

Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known to me its interpretation; but they could not show the interpretation of the thing.

You his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this,

Then was the part of the hand sent from before him, and this writing was inscribed.

This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God has numbered your kingdom, and brought it to an end;

Then this Daniel was distinguished above the administrators and the satraps, because an extraordinary spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

Then these men said, "We will not find any charge against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God."

Then these administrators and satraps assembled together to the king, and said this to him, "King Darius, live forever.

So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

And behold, another animal, a second one, like a bear; and it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth. And they said this to it, 'Arise, devour much flesh.'

After this I saw, and behold, another one, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The animal also had four heads; and dominion was given to it.

After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth animal, awesome and powerful, and extremely strong. And it had great iron teeth. It devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped what was left with its feet. And it was diverse from all the animals that were before it; and it had ten horns.

I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking arrogant things.

I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the true meaning concerning all this. So he told me, and revealed to me the interpretation of these things.

This he said, 'The fourth animal shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall ten kings arise, and another shall arise after them; and he shall be diverse from the former, and he shall put down three kings.

I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, and called out and said, "Gabriel, make this man understand the vision."

I prayed to the LORD my God, and made this confession, "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments.

Lord, righteousness belongs to you, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, who are near, and who are far off, through all the countries where you have driven them, because of their unfaithful deeds that they have committed against you.

As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us. Yet have we not tried to gain the favor of the LORD our God, that we should turn from our iniquities, and have discernment in your truth.

"And now, Lord our God, who has brought your people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, even to this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.

So I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me; for my natural appearance grew deathly pale, and I retained no strength.

He said to me, "Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright; for I have now been sent to you." And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood trembling.

For how can this servant of my lord talk with my lord? As for me, no strength remains, and I am breathless."

After this shall he turn his face to the coastal regions, and shall capture many. But a commander shall bring his insolence to an end. In addition, he shall repay him for his insolence.

At the appointed time he shall return, and come into the south; but this time the outcome shall not be as it was before.

Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the river, and one on the other bank of the river.